Capitol Hill primps for closeup

A double dose of TV chick-lit might be headed for the Capitol, as Washington narrows the point spread between Los Angeles and New York for most televised backdrop.

Both ABC and the CW are optioning pilots about female congressional aides for the fall 2007 schedule.

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"I Am Paige Armstrong" is about a young woman who decides to run against her boss after discovering he's somewhat corrupt. The show was created by Rod Lurie of another girl-power program, "Commander in Chief." Lurie originally took the "Paige" idea to ABC in 2002. The network passed. Then a former ABC exec now at the CW revived the show.

The rushed tagline for "Armstrong," according to a CW source: "Twenty-something congressional aide decides to run against her boss."

ABC, meanwhile, is considering "The Hill" (working title). The tagline: "A senator's aide in Washington, D.C. falls for the daughter of his boss's rival." Michelle Trachtenberg -- formerly of the old-school cult classic "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" -- will star as the object of the staffer's affection. And Eric Christian Olsen will star as Matt the Senate staffer. Olsen was huge in "Not Another Teen Movie."

Andy Ackerman will direct "The Hill." His previous credits include "The New Adventures of Old Christine," "Everybody Loves Raymond" and "Andy Richter Controls the Universe." He'll be working with writer/producer Shana Goldberg-Meehan, who worked on "Friends" and, unfortunately, "Joey."

In a few weeks, we'll know whether either of these shows has been picked up by the big-time execs, which is why review copies or official comments weren't available.

Thankfully, the Internets have a slightly more informed take. "We need to get young people involved in the running of this country. Now, not later. It's not such a bad thing to bring some naive optimism to Washington," said Lurie, according to The Providence Journal. (The pilot was filmed in Rhode Island.)

One actress, who worked as an extra in a "bar scene" for "I Am Paige Armstrong," blogged about the casting director's dress code -- dark blue suits that were sort of fashionable but "stuffy."

"I Am Paige Armstrong" might slip into the 9 p.m. Tuesday slot this fall on the CW. It would have run right after "Gilmore Girls" if the sap attack hadn't been canceled recently, which says a lot about the audience the CW is trying to garner -- youngish women ready to laugh, cry and stuff their faces!

No news on when "The Hill" will be aired as a "comedic soap," according to The Hollywood Reporter, so ABC is probably looking to grab the same demo.

One blogger/critic wrote on "Armstrong": "I don't see why anyone would watch or who the target market is. (It's not like 'Devil Wears Prada' meets politics.)" But the same could be said for "The Hill."

What Washington really needs is a staffer-style "Ugly Betty," where all the camp of Congress makes it beyond the cloak room. Assistants' (read: staffers') stories are always the best -- they know all the dirt, all the foibles, all the cliques. But who would play Marc?